ECI de-links Form 6 from SIR declaration flagged by 2 Election Commissioners

The Election Commission has removed the SIR declaration from online Form 6 across all states following concerns raised by two Election Commissioners, introducing separate submission procedures for applicants.

In Short

• Applicants no longer fill SIR declaration within Form 6 for voter registration
• ECI meetings now have circulated agendas and formal minutes post-meeting
• New IT modules undergo committee review before Commission consideration

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has implemented its decision to completely de-link the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration from online Form 6 across all states, including those where the revision exercise is still underway.

The decision, which was disclosed by the poll body in a counter-affidavit before the Supreme Court on October 26, was implemented on the ECINet portal on November 4–5.

The move follows concerns raised by two Election Commissioners over the insertion of the SIR declaration into Form 6.

Under the revised arrangement, applicants will now have to submit the declaration separately instead of filling it out as part of the online application used to seek inclusion in the electoral roll.

The declaration had already been removed from Form 6 in states where the SIR exercise had been completed. The latest implementation extends the separation to states where the revision process is still underway.

The issue dates back to May 16, when Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi objected to the insertion of the SIR declaration into Form 6 without a formal amendment. On August 13, Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu also described the change as unauthorised and illegal.

On September 26, the full Commission had decided that the declaration would remain applicable in states where the SIR was underway but would be removed from Form 6 in states where the exercise had concluded.

Subsequently, on October 21, the ECI's Electoral Roll Division decided to separate Form 6 and the SIR declaration in the online application process. The Commission disclosed this decision in its counter-affidavit before the Supreme Court on October 26, before implementing the change across states in early November.

The development comes amid sustained protests by Opposition parties against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise.

The INDIA bloc has demanded Kumar's resignation, accusing the poll body of irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and raising concerns over the deletion of voters' names.

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have led demonstrations against the CEC in Delhi, while protests have also spread to other parts of the country. The Election Commission has maintained that the revision exercise is intended to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls.

ECI INTRODUCES CHANGES TO INTERNAL FUNCTIONING

Apart from the changes to Form 6, the Election Commission has introduced revised procedures for conducting its internal meetings. Meeting agendas are now being circulated in advance, while minutes are being formally issued after meetings. These practices were not followed earlier.

The changes are aimed at bringing greater transparency to the Commission's decision-making process and ensuring that discussions and decisions taken during meetings are formally documented.

Another change concerns foreign travel by officers working with the ECI. Under the revised procedure, officials will now need to obtain the Commission's approval before undertaking foreign trips. Such prior approval was not required under the earlier arrangement.

NEW IT MODULES TO GO THROUGH COMMITTEE SCRUTINY

The process for developing and approving new information technology (IT) modules has also been revised. Proposals for new modules will first be referred to a committee before being placed before the Commission for consideration.

The approval process had earlier been a point of contention between the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). The revised arrangement introduces a committee-level review before proposals reach the Commission.

Taken together, the changes cover electoral registration procedures, internal meetings, official travel and technology-related decisions. While the separation of the SIR declaration from Form 6 is the most significant change affecting the voter registration process, the other measures seek to bring greater procedural clarity and transparency to the functioning of the Election Commission.

- Ends